Teachers in Rawalpindi Protest Over Pay and School Privatization
Rawalpindi, Pakistan – The teachers in Rawalpindi are protesting because the government is not paying them enough. They are also worried about new pension rules and the privatization of government schools. The Grand Teachers Alliance has called for a citywide strike, stopping education in 5,610 schools across six districts: Rawalpindi, Jhelum, Attock, Chakwal, Talagang, and Murree.
The teachers are holding banners and placards, announcing they will not teach until their demands are met. They have also canceled sports activities. The protestors warned that their protests might get bigger, including a possible long march to Islamabad.
The leaders of the protest, Shahid Mubarak, Malik Amjad Mehmood, and Qazi Imran, said their protest is nonpolitical and nonviolent. They are trying to stop the government from turning public schools into private ones, which they believe will make education more expensive and leave many children out of school.
Previously, Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz had promised to address the teachers’ demands, but the protestors claim she has not kept her promise. The teachers are also worried about job security and believe the chief minister’s actions are harmful to their jobs and the future of the country’s children.
Doubts Revealed
Rawalpindi -: Rawalpindi is a city in Pakistan, which is a country next to India.
privatization -: Privatization means that the government is allowing private companies to run the schools instead of the government itself.
Grand Teachers Alliance -: The Grand Teachers Alliance is a group of teachers who have come together to fight for their rights.
strike -: A strike is when workers stop working to show they are unhappy with their job conditions.
districts -: Districts are areas into which a country or city is divided for administrative purposes.
nonpolitical -: Nonpolitical means they are not supporting any political party or agenda.
nonviolent -: Nonviolent means they are not using any force or violence in their protest.
Punjab Chief Minister -: The Punjab Chief Minister is the head of the government in the Punjab region of Pakistan. Maryam Nawaz is a political leader in Pakistan.
